Pages

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Must. Have. This. Dress.

Did you guys see the Selfish Seamstress's post on Ceil Chapman? It is, in a word, awesome. The fabulous Ms. Selfish herself commented on my Spring Fabric Fever post to say that my Liberty rose print was just begging to be given the Ceil Chapman treatment, as in the mouth-wateringly perfect draped floral sheath above. I am now obsessed and must figure out a way to make this dress. Thank you, Selfish Seamstress! (God, talk about selfish - posting helpful and inspirational tips on others' blogs? Does she ever think about anyone other than herself?!)

And now, dear friends, I need your help making this dress happen.So here's my fabric:

The first option is to attempt some advanced patternmaking. I could be brave and use my Jenny skirt pattern in conjunction with a self-drafted bodice. I did a quick sketch, and this is what I think the lines should look like. Don't laugh at my drawing!

I think I could modify a v-neck bodice, making it very plunging and then adding some tucks at the center bust. And then the sweetheart neckline behind it looks kind of like a modesty panel or dickey that could be tacked in. Of course, this would require lots of muslins and potential aggravation.

The other option is to take a contemporary pattern and make something more inspired by (rather than directly knocking off) the Chapman.

51 comments:

I think your fabric will look fabulous in this style of dress, although I dont think the neckline details are clear enough to make it worth all the effort of drafting a pattern.My personal favourite is Vogue 8555 or Vogue 1117 without the cap sleeve. Whichever you chose it will look stunning.

You certainly have the perfect fabric! I think by looking at the picture of the dress there is almost a wrap tie to the side thing going on over the bust area as I think I can see the end of a tie on the right... so I would advice to go for the overall shape of the garment than a true copy, but pick out your fave detail, the pleating?

I like the last pattern you picked as I think it combines what you like about the original dress. Why not try draping a similar fabric? I find this sometimes gets me motivated more than thinking of pattern drafting and paper patterns.

I hope that you find a pattern to assist with your construction. You might want to take a close look at this post from the Sewing Lawyer (someone linked to it from the Selfish Sewist's post). She bought a Ceil Chapman dress and she shows some of the interior details. Yummy!

*drool* YES. YES. YES!!! The fabric does scream to make a drop-dead gorgeous little wiggle dress! ;) My vote is for Vogue 1117; I think the lines are not only very Cecil Chapman-esque, but the cut would be fantastic on you. While you could go the route of drafting/draping your own bodice, I think a little "inspired by" rather than directly copying might be even more fun. ;)

While I like the Vogue 8555, perhaps you could try a Gertie version of Butterick Retro 6582? I think it's still available in stores. When I saw your rose fabric in the original post I was first green with envy but then thought it's gonna look gorgeous on you no matter what you make. Can't wait to see what you come up with.

How exciting! My very favorite part of the dress is the cowl neckline with the gathers at the bust center. I hope you don't lose that design by going with one of the patterns. I've been thinking about that fabric since you debuted it last week. It will look awesome no matter how you slice it, but that neckline is a little piece of heaven!

Beautiful! I agree with your top pick for the pattern. It gives the "inspired by" feeling, without all the trouble of self-drafting a bodice (which might lose some of the detail of either the print or the tucks/pleats anyway).

I think you can draft the bodice yourself. You can do it! Instead of flat-patterning it, though, I'd try draping it. Build your sloper with lots of excess at the neck, put it on your dress form, and go to town.

You could rotate the bust darts to the center front and then gather there. I just read a post yesterday at Sew4fun blog by Belinda. She rotated a bust dart to center front in her pattern for a nightie. I totally agree on the choice of style for this amazingly gorgeous print!As soon as I finish my current project, I will start a somehat similar sheath dress for my niece.Love it!

I love this fabric. I love Liberty prints in general. And I think the Ceil Chapman is a perfect inspiration for a dress of this print. I also like that you made a drawing.I have to be the oddball and say that I really do not like the Michael Kors1117. In general but especially for this dress. It is too office-y wrap dress and not garden party cocktail enough. I like the first two better. They have sleeker silhouettes and simpler details. Vogue 8555 is definitely easily alterable to taste and a good place to start and the new Michael Kors (my fave) would be adorable with the little bow deal on the shoulder (or without it) and it has really interesting draping. Anyway you choose it, I have yet to see you post an outfit that I didn't like on you so I think that whatever you do will look gorgeous! trust your instincts on this one!

I would totally work w/ the vogue 1117. The middle one is great, but I think the last one lends itself more to the feel/look of the original dress. Great fabric, btw...Can't wait to see you in it! I know you'll look FANTASTIC!!

Hey Gertie, you might want to take a look at Retro Butterick 6584, it could make a stunning homage to the dress, without being a downright copy.http://butterick.mccall.com/b6582-products-1037.php?page_id=371&search_control=display&list=search

I think that the Vogue 1117 is most similar to the Ceil Chapman dress in draping, so I think you should use that one.

I don't see how anything made in that fabric could possibly not say "garden party". Also, if you look at the photo of Retro Butterick 6584, the lines from the draping are very subtle, not like the lines in the drawings, or on the Chapman dresses.

I'd go with the Vogue 1167, it would look so stunning in your rose print fabric. Why give yourself a massive headache trying to draft and endlessly toile/muslin a new style when these ones you have on order are so fantastic already? Good luck!

Have you seen this Ceil Chapman reproduction pattern?http://www.vintagefashionlibrary.com/inc/sdetail/251You could make the slim sheath dress without the overskirt. Or use it as a reference point for Ceil Chapman-ish construction.

Hi Gertie, the original appears to have a seam under the bust, indicating a midriff like 8555. I think you could do a great copy by making 8555 and a toile for the front bodice only-- cut the already-loose neckline with a bunch of extra fabric and try to replicate the cowl gathers. After that, the modesty panel would not be too challenging.

I also agree with everyone who nixed the Kors. It would take all of the sexy out of that rose pattern.

I think you would probably do a swell job drafting the bodice, but if you don't feel like doing that I'm sure there is a 50s pattern that could help you along!

I like the last pattern but I agree with other commenters that I don't think you'd see that detail amidst the fabric's pattern, and I don't like the midriff of the first Vogue or the bow-thingy on the Michael Kors dress. They're not classic enough!

Hi Gertie, I live in the UK and look forward to your blogs every day! Anyway I wonder if you know about 2 amazing Ceil Chapman reproduction patterns available to buy on the Vintage Fashion Library site, these are No.139 "Wounded Bird" priced at $22.99 and a 50's draped bodice dress No.130 priced at $24.99. Your fabric would look fantastic in either of these. Hope this is helpful.

Wow, thanks for all your help guys. And Ann - thanks for the link! I never would have guessed that was a cowl. So cool. I just ordered a copy of the Skylark pattern from Vintage Fashion Library, if anything it will be great to see the construction. But I'm definitely leaning towards one of the Vogue patterns - more to come!

The dress has an empire line with princess seams over the bust. I would make the basic dress shape (Vogue 8555 is a good start but you need princess seams), and then overlay another centre front panel that is cut on the bias with fullness to form the cowl.

Oh my gosh. i love this idea. Ive never been a big fan of floral but now im not so sure.... hehe i really like 8555 but also the kors pattern... maybe a combination of the two? it screams spring. im trying to cling to the warm weather as it is getting very cool here in australia. cannot wait to see some pictures of this coming together!!! ps.i love checking my mailbox for gertie mail each morning! :-)

Also, just saw this pattern on etsy: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=39330506&ref=sr_list_21&&ga_search_query=sewing+pattern+cowl+neck+dress&ga_search_type=all&ga_page=&includes[]=tags&includes[]=title

I found a picture of that Vogue 8555 made up for you and guess where I found the picture? The latest J.Crew catalog!! I was paging through and the lines of this dress, the Sydney, just jumped out at me. Isn't it the same? Who knew the Big 4 were knocking off from J. Crew so blatantly?

I think this is my first comment, but I'm a new sewer and your blog is a major inspiration for me! I am in love with this dress, but my size falls exactly between the 10 and the 12, which are split between two different patterns. To be specific, my bust is a size 10 (with padded bra a 12), my waist is an 8, and my hips are 35"--exactly between the size 10 and twelve. HELP! I don't know which pattern to buy!?! What would you do? I'm so almost the smaller pattern, but just a smidgen towards the larger and I am dreadfully confused.